When you think of pandas, you’re probably visualizing the typical black and white panda. But the red panda was the first panda to be discovered almost 200 years ago and nearly 50 before the black and white panda was discovered. They can be found in the high-altitude forests of Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar and Nepal.

They’re pretty cute in appearance but their looks can be deceiving. This adorable little panda is territorial and has been known to be quite aggressive. Red Pandas weigh anywhere from 7 – 18 pounds and the length from the tip of their nose to the end of their tail can be from 36 – 43 inches making them about the size of a large house cat. They can live to about 14 years of age in the wild and are pretty quick on their feet, running at 24 miles per hour.

Red pandas are primarily nocturnal creatures and can be seen munching on bamboo leaves but sometimes eat meat including insects, lizards and bird eggs. These skillful and acrobatic pandas live primarily in trees and use their bushy tails for balance. Winter is their favorite time of year and red pandas will use their tail like a blanket to stay warm.

Sadly these precious little guys are on the endangered species list. Nearly 50% of their habitat is located in the Eastern Himalayas. As a result of deforestation their losing their nesting trees and primary food source which is bamboo and this is causing a decline in their population.

I took this delightful photo (shown below) of a red panda peeking out from behind the tree in Washington DC. I didn’t know at the time they were on the endangered species list so I’m grateful I was able to see one up close. They really are beautiful animals and need to be saved. With every purchase of the photo below from my Etsy Shop, 10% of the net proceeds will be donated to the World Wildlife Fund to help save them from extinction.

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